Vampires in Babylon
by Lurid Amaranthine
Summary: A vampire arrives on Babylon 5, and odd things start occur. (set in season 2) And so it begins.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Babylon 5. I do own Deirdre and Victor and any other non-B5 person that pops up.  
  
Brief synopsis: A vampire arrives on Babylon 5, and odd things occur. (set in season 2) And so it begins.  
  
Rating: PG13 for some brief language at the moment, but it will be NC-17 in other chapters. This one, however, is mainly safe.  
  
Deirdre gazes out the window of the transport like a child looks into the candy store window. The large station looms closely and the transport is about to dock.  
  
"How long are we staying here? I hope longer than the last place. I hate moving about so much."  
  
Her companion, a man with long, slick straight black hair and a pale complexion stands behind her.  
  
"It all depends. How about I'll let you decide."  
  
At this Deirdre turns about and her blue eyes fasten on his impossible dark ones. A smile lights her beautiful face. Her companion reaches out a hand and lets it filter through some of her golden hair, or rather true gold for it looks like the molten metal.  
  
"Really? Even if I say we stay this time? Have a real home?" She watches him nod. She kneels in her seat and throws her arms about his neck. "Oh, Victor!" He slowly embraces her. She pulls back and he strokes the fair skin of her cheek. A voice is pumped through the entire ship:  
  
"Docking procedures are now complete. Please locate the exit, and welcome to Babylon 5."  
  
At this Victor helps Deirdre stand, and arm in arm they exit the ship. At the gate a security officer checks their identicards and welcomes them. After being let through Deirdre gazes about in awe.  
  
"Isn't this wonderful? All these different forms of life co-existing in one place. It's mind boggling." She stops another security officer. "Excuse me, but is there a place of commerce here, or somewhere to get a drink?" At this the officer smiles and directs the couple to the Zocalo. After Victor arranges for their luggage to be brought to their new quarters they head to the Zocalo. If Deirdre was impressed with the docking area she has nothing to say of the Zocalo. With a hand on the small of Deirdre's back her directs her to the nearest eatery.  
  
"I know you must be famished or in the least parched." He sets her down before taking his own seat. A waiter comes over with two menus. "I do not need a menu." With this the waiter hands one of the menus to Deirdre.  
  
"Would you care for anything to drink?" Deirdre quickly glances at the menu.  
  
"I'll have a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri." The waiter writes this down with a nod and turns to Victor.  
  
"Nothing." And if this bothers the waiter he does not let it show. After the waiter walks off Deirdre looks up from the menu.  
  
"I'm not sure if I'm that hungry." At this comment Victor's black eyes stare into Deirdre's blue ones.  
  
"You do not have to lie to me. Eat. You need you're strength." With his prodding Deirdre looks back at the menu. The waiter comes back with her drink and takes her order, and still Victor orders nothing. The waiter walks off again.  
  
"You know, I think I'm going to like it here." She takes a sip of her drink and smiles.  
  
Throughout the meal Victor watches Deirdre, and he pays once she is finished. He helps her stand and they walk back out onto the Zocalo. They walk by venders inspecting their wears. Deirdre picks up a lovely silver necklace, it has a delicate chain and it holds a solitary blood-red stone.  
  
"Isn't it beautiful?" She holds it up and admires it in the light. The human vender edges in closer.  
  
"Yes it is, and it's only 100 credits." At this she almost drops it. Victor's dark brows furrow.  
  
"I think you are mistaken; the price can be no higher than 50." The vender stares at Victor. Something about the man unsettles him.  
  
"Yeah, 50. That's what I meant." Victor nods and pays the man. He then leads Deirdre away from the vender.  
  
"I'm going to check our room and make sure our luggage got there. Stay here and look around. I'll be back shortly." With this he kisses her forehead and heads for a lift. Deirdre watches him walk away. His long hair is pulled back at the nape of his neck, and it happens to be longer than her own. Hers falls to about her waist while his cascades to his hips. He's also on the tall side, six feet two inches, and Deirdre is five nine. She watches him until the crowd swallows him up. She starts to walk around and looks down at her new necklace that she holds. Suddenly she smacks into something, or rather someone.  
  
The necklace slips from her hands and she give a soft, startled cry. She bends down to retrieve it the same time as the one she ran into does. There heads bang together and Deirdre stands up with her hand to her head.  
  
"I'll get it." The man picks it up and hands it to her. Deirdre smiles her thanks. He was Centauri. That much was known because of his hair, which was done in the typical Centauri style of a fan at the top of the head. By the clothes he was wearing he must be some high-ranking person. Maybe he was a politician.  
  
"This is entirely my fault. I was in a rush. Let me buy you a drink for your trouble." She didn't tell him that it was impossible for it to be just his fault, for if she was watching where she was going she could have gone around him.  
  
"All right, Mr.— " She fishes for his name.  
  
"Mollari. Ambassador Londo Mollari." He catches her hand and brings it to his lips, and places a kiss there. "And it is a pleasure to meet you." He leaves it open for her to give her own name.  
  
"Deirdre McReilly." She smiles and he leads her to an open bar in the middle of the Zocalo. They sit on the stools and the bartender takes their orders.  
  
"I just arrived on the station. And although I haven't been to too many places this seems like an amazing place." At this point the bartender sets down their drinks.  
  
"Oh it is. I can give you a tour sometime." Londo looks over at Deirdre. She was a very beautiful woman, and her hair was amazing, so to the brilliance of her eyes.  
  
"I'd like that. I bet you know fascinating things about Babylon 5." She takes a sip of her drink. Londo notices that she has no wedding ring, which is a tradition for humans. She does have a ring on her thumb. It looks old, and he bets it has something wrapped around the band to make it stay. An heirloom maybe? It does have a crest on it.  
  
"Yes, many things. I can even introduce you to some other Ambassadors and even the command staff." Londo watches Deirdre's face closely. Being so beautiful she reminded him of one of his ex-wives. He gives himself a mental shake to remind himself that she as nothing like his ex-wife.  
  
"Really? That's terrific! Wow, I'd never thought I'd be meeting so many people!" Her face is alight with happiness, and Londo is in awe of it. He never knew someone who gave up such light.  
  
"Let me see… I have a meeting in an hour, but it shouldn't be more than an hour itself. We can meet back her in two and half hours. What do you say?"  
  
"I say she'll think about it." At the deep voice Londo looks up to see the palest human he's ever seen. And the black hair and eyes only seemed to make it worse. Plus Londo gets an odd feeling from this human. Deirdre, on the other hand, turns around and smiles.  
  
"I thought I was going to have more say this time. And I say I want a tour." Londo watches the mans face. The human is expressionless.  
  
"Alright, but I am coming along." He turns his black eyes to Londo.  
  
"Ambassador Mollari, this is Victor Payne." Both men nod once to each other. If Deirdre is bothered by the silent animosity between the two she doesn't let it show.  
  
"Come, our quarters are ready and the luggage is safe." Victor helps her stand, and he then places his right and on the small of her back.  
  
"We'll be here." She smiles at Londo and is lead away.  
  
"That was rude of you. We were just making conversation, and besides, it's a good thing that I'm meeting people." At this Victor pulls her aside.  
  
"Maybe I was jealous." This makes Deirdre laugh.  
  
"Of what? He's the Centauri Ambassador. What's to be jealous of?" This attempt of a joke makes Victor scowl. "Victor, he's Centauri."  
  
"He's still a man."  
  
"Oh, for gods sakes. Why do you think every guy I meet I'll end up in bed with? Just so you know, Centauri and Humans are incompatible that way." She walks towards the elevator again. Victor follows her into the elevator. He gives it their destination and it speeds off. He stands behind her and wraps his arms around her. She smiles and brings her hands to touch his.  
  
"I love you." Victors voice is very soft. He moves her gold hair away from her neck and plants a kiss there. She shows him much trust by doing this. In fact if she were one of his kind this would be showing his dominance over her. He straightens up and lets go of her just as the doors open. He lets her out first and guides her to their quarters. Their rooms are of fair size consisting of a main room, bedroom, bathroom, and a small kitchenette. Deirdre sits down on the couch.  
  
"Do you know what I like about space stations?" Victor inquires with a rare smile. When Deirdre looks at him with slightly furrowed brows he continues. "There is no sunlight." With that he heads to the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Victor stops and turns in the open doorway.  
  
"To eat." He walks out and the doors whoosh shut behind him. Knowing that he means for her to stay put, she turns on ISN.  
  
Victor steps foot on the part of the station called Down Below. This is where people who came to Babylon 5 looking for a better life but did not find it and had no money ended up. The refuse ended up here, and the thieves and scoundrels. He spots a man with shifty eyes duck into a doorway, so Victor follows him.  
  
"Here Dex, now give me some." The man said.  
  
"Alright. Here." Dex hands the man a small pouch. The man grabs it and runs off nearly plowing into Victor in the process. As it is he just shoves by. Victor steps into the small room. Dex looks up.  
  
"I don't know you. You work for security?" Dex is defensive.  
  
"I assure you, I do not." Victor looks around. "Dismal place."  
  
"Leave, you have no business here." Dex looks down to put away the trinkets that were just bartered.  
  
"Oh, I think I do." With that Dex looks up to see the tall, thin, pale, but dark man stalking closer. Dex's eyes become large and he pulls out a knife. Seeing the pitiful blade makes Victor laugh. The sound of that laughter makes Dex shiver.  
  
"I'll cut you, man. I'll slice you open." He waves the blade about.  
  
"I believe I'll be doing the only slicing around here." With a lightning quick movement Victor grabs the blade away from Dex and tosses it aside. He then grips Dex's greasy hair and holds his head back slightly.  
  
"What the fuck are you?"  
  
"You're worst nightmare. And you, my friend, are dinner." Victor rears his fangs, and the man screams and Victor sinks his teeth into Dex's throat. Victor places his hand over Dex's mouth and the scream is silenced. Victor feeds and then licks the wounds close. He drops Dex to the floor whom is barely alive. Victor licks his lips and wipes his face clean. His hunger sedated he heads back to his quarters and the warm woman waiting for him.  
  
A few hours later the body is found and send to med lab. Doctor Franklin examines the body and is baffled by it. He contacts Captain Sheridan and the doctor tells him about the strangeness of it.  
  
"He's been almost completely drained of blood. And there is not a mark on him. However there is some blood smeared on the left side of his neck."  
  
"So what are you telling me, we have a vampire on the station? We live in the real world here, there has to be a rational explanation." Sheridan looks at the corpse. "Keep me updated." With that Sheridan leaves med lab and Franklin goes back to the corpse, still utterly confused.  
  
By the time Victor got back Deirdre had turned off ISN and was laying on the couch fast asleep. Victor kneels down beside her and stokes her hair. He kisses her forehead.  
  
"I don't want you to miss your tour." At Victor's voice Deirdre's eyes flutter open.  
  
"Thank you for waking me." She sits up and Victor helps her stand.  
  
"I would have liked to watch you sleep, but you would be mad at me if I let you miss that tour."  
  
"And so I would." With that she kisses him and heads out the door with Victor close behind. 


End file.
